Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Cinnamon Apple Bagels

I love bagels for breakfast. When I lived in Arizona, every Saturday morning when I got home from work (my Friday night shift ended at 7am Saturday morning), we'd load the dog into the car and head for the Bark Park, to give him a chance to run around and socialize with other dogs. On the way, we'd stop at Einstein Brothers Bagels. I'd get a plain with plain shmear (restrictions, sigh) and a hot chocolate. Einstein Brothers knew us, and always threw in a free doggie bagel--bagels that fell on the floor would be wiped off and then cooked near to burnt for dogs. Usually I'm too tired in the mornings to get fancy with my bagels, and I still have a plain with plain cream cheese. Sometimes, though, I like to do a little something more. No measurements on this, because much of it will depend on individual tastes.

1. Split and toast two bagels, plain or whatever flavour is preferred (cinnamon or raisin are good options). Allow to cool until easily held.
2. Shmear cut sides with cream cheese to achieve preferred consistency (I like a lot of cream cheese on my bagel, my sweetheart prefers a thin spread). Top with thin slices of apple (I usually go with Golden Delicious, you'll want an "eating apple", not a baking apple, that's juicy). Sprinkle with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Robyn's notes: that's all there is to it! The cinnamon won't impart a lot of actual taste, but every time you bring the bagel to your mouth you'll smell the cinnamon, and that makes for an entirely different experience than if you leave it out. The juicy apple with the thick bagel bread is a winner in my mind. I'm not allowed to eat the peel, so I have to peel my apples, but since that's where a lot of the nutrition is, I recommend leaving it on if you can.

*** 3 Stars: Good. At least one of us liked this enough for me to make it again, but not often